Former National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for Ngleshie Amanfrom, Alexander Ackuaku, has called for the prosecution of chiefs who illegally sell lands on waterways and Ramsar sites, describing the practice as a major contributor to Ghana’s recurring flooding.
Speaking on TV XYZ, Mr Ackuaku said authorities must shift attention from responding to flood disasters to addressing the underlying causes of the problem through strict enforcement of existing laws.
He argued that persistent flooding across the country is largely the result of illegal developments on flood-prone lands, made possible by weak enforcement of environmental and planning regulations.
“We need to go back to the root causes of the flooding and make sure we uproot them to prevent future occurrences,” he said.
According to him, the failure to enforce the law has encouraged individuals to disregard planning regulations, worsening the country’s flood situation.
“A greater cause of the floods is human attitude. We do not want to enforce the laws in this country, so people do whatever they like,” he stated.
Mr Ackuaku maintained that traditional leaders who knowingly allocate or sell lands designated as waterways or Ramsar sites should face prosecution to deter others from engaging in similar practices.
He argued that holding offenders accountable would help prevent illegal construction in vulnerable areas and reduce the need for costly demolition exercises by the government.
“Chiefs who sell lands at illegal sites should be arrested. If this is done, they will stop, and the government will not have to spend money demolishing buildings,” he said.
Mr Ackuaku stressed that stronger enforcement against all individuals involved in illegal land transactions would help protect the environment, improve urban planning and significantly reduce Ghana’s vulnerability to flooding.
